Well spudding attachment for use with rotary rigs



June 6, 1933. F. J. HINDERLITER 1,912,478

WELL SPUDDING ATTACHMENT FOR USE WITH ROTARY RIGS I Original Filed May20, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l June 6, 1933. F. J. HINDERLITER 1,912,478

WELL SPUDDING ATTACHMENT FOR USE WITH ROTARY RIGS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Original FiIed May 20, 1929 Patented June 5, 1933 PATENTi OFFICE FRANKJ. HINDERLITER, O1 TULSA, OKLAHOMA WELL SPUDDING ATTACHMENT FOR USE WITHROTARY RIGS Continuation of application Serial'No. 364,515, filed May20, 1929.

This application filed November 14, 1931.

Serial No. 575,073.

ine present invention relates to the spudding of wells and moreparticularly to a well spudding device adapted for use in connectionwith a draw works to enable a string of e cable tools to be used in thespudding opera- Also it is to be noted that the sub ect matter of thepresent invention constitutes a continuation of that disclosed in mycopend: ing application, Serial No. 36%,515, filed May 20, 1929.

It is well known in the drilling field that in drilling a well holewhere the format-ion hard on the top of the hole or well it is very hardon a rotary rig as it does not have sufficient weight to get throughthis hard formation. Hence, in some localities they frequently have tomove in a drilling machine and spud in the first five or sir; hundredfeet. Thereafter the drilling machine is removed from the derrick and aconventional rotary rig is installed. Now, although this method ofdrilling is very costly it has been heretofore the only way to make timein such a drilling operation and to get a straight hole to start with.After the hole is drilled with the rotary string to the top of the sand,the rotary tools are usually removed and the rig is reconditioned forcable tools which thereafter drill through the sand.

An object of my invention is to pr vide a spudding attachment for usewith a draw works whereby a. well can be drilled with rotary tools muchcheaper than it can where it is necessary to move in a drilling machine.I propose to provide a spudding device which can be connected to themain shaft of the draw works and which will cooperate with the rotaryrig to spud the well to any depth. Thereafter the spudding device can betaken off and the well drilled to the top of the sand with theconventional rotary tools at which time, if it is so desired, thespudding attachment can again be installed for use in the derrick andthe well can be spudded through the sand with the cable tools.

Another object of my invention is to pro vide a novel spuddingattachment for operative association with a conventional draw works in aderrick for enabling a string of cable tools to be used to spud thewell.

A further very important objectof this invention relates to theprovision of means for exerting a retarding action on the spuddingmovement during the raising of the string of tools whereby the liftingof the string is slowed up to such an extent as to take out the slackand whip in the cable string and the cable string of tools is thereafterfree to move much faster and more effectively on its down ward orspudding stroke.

in accordance with the general features of my invention there isprovided an eccentric designed to be clamped to the main shaft of thedraw works and having a resilient connection with the free end of apivoted fulcrum lever which end of the lever is also connected by themeans of a spudding cable and shoe to the line carrying the string ofcable tools.

The above, other and further objects of the invention will be apparentfrom the following description, accompanying drawings and appendedclaims.

A preferred form of the invention is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings and the views thereof are as follows:

Figure l is a fragmentary elevation of a derrick illustrating theapplication of my novel spudding attachment to the rotary draw worksshaft and also showing the connection between the fulcrum lever of thisattachment and thecable carrying the string of cable tools.

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary View of my novel attachment showingall of the parts thereof in elevation and showing the main draw worksshaft in section.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary View of my novel attachment partlyin section clearly illustrating the eccentric of imparting anoscillatory movement to the fulcrum lever.

Figure 4;.is an enlarged view partly in section and partly in elevationof a fluid actuated device for retarding the raising movement of thestring of cable tools on the upward stroke of the latter.

Reference character 10 designates generally the frame work of a derrickincluding a base 11. Associated with the central portion of the base 11is a conventional rotary table 12. Positioned to one side of this table12 is an idler pulley 13 suitably carried by the base of the derrick anddisposed on the pposite side of the table 12 is a main draw works shaft14 and a main draw works cable drum 14. Also connected to the idler 13is a cable line 15 extending from the rotary draw works drum 14 over thepulley 13 up to the pulley 16 at the top 17 of the derrick and thenpassing downwardly into the well where it is connected to a string ofcable tools in a well known manner. That is to say, the end of the cable15 in the well may be connected toany of the well known standard cabledrilling tools.

Positioned between the table 12 and the idler pulley 13 is a fulcrumlever 21 comprising a part of my novel spuddin g device designatedgenerally by the reference character 20. The lower end of this lever ispivotally connected to a bracket'22 secured to the base 11 of thederrick. The upper or free end of the lever 21 has pivotally'connectedto it clevis 23 fastened to oneend of a spudding rod 24, the other endof which rod is connected to a standard spudding shoe 25 slidablymounted on the cable 15 near the idler pulley 13. Attention is directedto the fact that the upper end of the lever 21 has a plurality of holes26, whereby the clevis 23 may be connected to difierent portions of theupper end of the lever to vary the spudding stroke.

Also connected to the lever 21 at an intermediate point is a rod 28having one end bifurcated at 29 to straddle an intermediate portion ofthe lever 21. A pin 30 extends through one of the openings 26 in thelever 21 and through the parts of the bifurcated end 29 of rod 28 topivotally secure this rod to the lever. t will be evident that byproviding a plurality of holes 26, it is also possible to adjustablyconnect the rod 28 to the fulcrum lever 21.

The other end of the rod 28 extends through an opening 31 defined by twoclamping elements 33 and 34. These clamping elements are enlarged at anintermediate portion to provide a circular pocket or recess 35 forreceiving an eccentric 36. The two clamping members 33 and 34 arefastened together by a plurality of bolts and nuts 37 The eccentric 36comprises two parts 37 and 38, fastened to the main shaft 14 of the drawworks by means of the bolts 39.

The free end of the rod 28 has fastened to it an annular head 40disposed in a chamber 41 defined by the two cooperating clampmountedupon the rod 28 in the chamber 41 is a spring 45, which serves at alltimes to force the rod 28 in a direction towards the shaft 14. Thisspring constitutes a shock absorbing device for my attachment 20.Secured to an outer end of the clamping elements 33 and 34 is aconnection to which is pivotally connected a piston rod 51 carrying onits free end a piston 52 reciprocable in a fluid tight chamber 53(Figure 4).

The chamber 15, as best shown in Figure 1, is pivotally carried at 54upon bracket means 55 secured to an extension 56, added to the derrick10. This support for the chamber 53 is of such a character as to enablethe piston rod 51 to be substantially alined with the eccentricallyoperated rod 28.

Referring again to Figure 4, it will be noted that the chamber 53 hasassociated with its upper side a pair of ports 59 and 60 disposed incommunication with a U-shaped pipe construction 61. Disposed in one legof the U-shaped pipe construction 61 and in communication with port 59is a valve 62 having a conical seating face adapted to engage a seat 63when the valve is in a closed position. A stop 64 serves to limit theupward movement of the valve when it is forced to its opened position.

Associated with the other and under side of the chamber 53 is anotherU-shaped pipe construction 68 having its legs or ends in communicationwith ports 69 and 70 of chamber 53. Disposed in this U-shaped pipeconstruction 68 adjacent the port 70 is a threaded nipple 71 defining arestricting orifice 7 2 through which fluid, such as oil, in the systemcomprising the chamber 53 and U-shaped pipe constructions 61 and 68 isadapted to pass.

Now it will be evident that when the piston 52 is actuated in thedirection indicated by the arrow, or in other words, is being operatedon the raising stroke of the spudding action, the fluid or oil will beforced through the restricted orifice 72 on account of the fact that thevalve 62 is forced shut by the suction thereunder as well as by the oilflowing in the pipe 61. It, therefore, follows that the movement of thepiston and parts connected thereto will necessarily be retarded onaccount of the restriction in the by-pass pipe construction 68. Thismeans that the reciprocatory movement of the eccentric rod 28 and pistonrod 51 on the lifting of the spudding tools will be against the pressureof the oil or fluid in the chamber 53, whereby any slack or whip in thecable line 51 is taken up.

On the other hand when the piston 52 is moved in the other direction bythe eccentric 36 of the spudding attachment, the valve 62 will be forcedopen by the oil and the oil will flow through the U-shaped pipeconstruction 61 in preference to the U-shaped pipe construction 68. Itnecessarily follows that due to the fact that the pipe 61 does not havea restricted orifice like the orifice 7 2, the piston is free to travelfaster on this stroke, or in other words, the stroke on which the cabletools are allowed to drop to the bottom of the well in the spudding ofthe well. Thus, this construction permits of a quick and rapid droppingof the spudding tools on the spudding stroke and of a slow return orlifting of the tools when the cable is being wound up on the draw worksdrum 14.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that my spudding device enables aconventional rotary rig to be used to spud the well to any depth desiredat which time the spudding attachment can be, removed from the mainshaft 14 and the well drilled to the top of the sand with theconventional rotary rig tools. Thereafter, the spudding attachment canagain be mounted on the shaft 14 and the well can be spudded through thesand with the cable tools on the line 15.

It has been found from experience that with this spudding attachment, awell can be drilled with rotary tools much cheaper than it can where itis necessary to install a special drilling machine for spudding in thefirst five or six hundred feet of the well. Heretofore, despite the factthat the expense incident to the installation and use of such a drillingmachine was prohibitive, drillers have found it necessary to resort tothat machine due to the inability of the rotary rig to drill throughhard formations. For this reason, it is believed that the presentattachment will not only simplify the drilling operation, but willmaterially cheapen the cost of drilling a well through hard formation ofstone, rock or the like.

I claim:

1. The combination with a string of well tools and a rotary draw worksfor drilling a well of means for imparting a spudding action to thestring of tools, means for connecting said first mentioned means to therotary draw works shaft, said first mentioned means including apivotally mounted fulcrum lever having one end connected by a cable tothe string of tools, and fluid actuated means for exerting a brakingaction on said means during the up or return stroke of said string oftools, said latter means including a closed fluid circulatory system, animpeller for moving the fluid in said system,

' valve means in said system adapted to be forced shut by said fluidduring said return stroke and fluid flow restricting means arranged insaid system to be operated during the time said valve means is closed toretard the flow of fluid in said system and thus cause a slowing up ofthe return of said string of tools.

2. The combination with a string of well tools and a rotary draw worksfor drilling a well of a device for imparting a spudding action to thestring of tools, means for connectingsaid device to the rotary drawworks shaft, said device including a pivotally mounted fulcrum leverhaving one end connected by a cable to the string of tools, and beingalso connected to said last mentioned means through a shock absorbingspring.

3. In combinationin a well drilling apparatus, arotary draw worksincluding a rotatable'shaft, a string of cable tools connected by acable to said draw works, a cable connecting said string of tools tosaid draw works, a pivotally mounted fulcrum lever positioned betweenthe draw works shaft and cable, a spudding connection between one end ofsaid lever and said cable, an eccentric on said draw works shaft, andmeans connecting said eccentric to said lever, said rotary draw worksincluding a drum for said cable disposed adjacent said eccentric.

4. In combination in a well drilling apparatus, a rotary draw worksincluding a rotatable shaft, a string'of cable tools connected by acable to said draw works, a cable connecting said string of tools tosaid draw works, a pivotally mounted fulcrum lever positioned betweenthe draw works shaft and the cable, a spudding connection between oneend of said lever and said cable, an eccentric on said draw works shaft,means connecting said eccentric to said lever includ ing a shockabsorbing spring through which a reciprocatory movement is imparted tosaid lever to alternately raise and lower the string of tools, and fluidactuated means connected to said eccentric for exerting a braking actionthereon during one direction of its movement.

5. In a rotary rig, the combination with a string of well tools and arotary draw works for drilling a well of a spudding attachment fordisposition between the draw works and said strin of tools comprising areciprocatory device connected to the rotary draw works to be actuatedthereby, a fulcrum lever mounted at the bottom of the rig, a rodconnecting said reciprocatory device to said lever whereby the lever isactuated by said device, and a second rod connected to said lever andhaving a spudding shoe associated therewith for cooperation with thecable of said string of tools.

6. In a rotary rig, the combination with a cable string of well toolsand a rotary draw works for drilling a well and which includes a drum towhich said cable is con nected of a spudding attachment for dispositionbetween the draw works and said cable string of tools comprising areciprocatory device connected to the rotary draw works to be actuatedthereby, and means between said device and said cable string of toolsincluding a spudding shoe slidably disposed over the cable, whereby saiddevice upon actuation by said draw works imparts a reciprocatorymovement to said string of tools to raise and lower the string of toolsin the well.

7. In a rotary rig, the combination with a cable string of well toolsand a rotary draw works for drilling a well and which includes a drum towhich said cable is connected of a spudding attachment for dispositionbetween the draw works and said cable string of tools comprising areciprocatory device connected to the rotary draw works to be actuatedthereby, means between said device and said cable string of toolsincluding a spudding shoe slidably disposed over the cable, whereby saiddevice upon actuation by said draw works imparts a reciprocatorymovement to said string of tools to raise and lower the string of toolsin the well, and means for exerting a retarding action on said device soas to slow up the upward or raising movement of said string of tools.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name at Chicago, CookCounty,

Illinois.

FRANK J. HINDERLITER.

